Superfund Task Force
Protecting human health and the environment is EPA’s core mission. Ensuring that the Superfund program operates optimally is one of this mission’s cornerstones.
With this in mind, former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt established the Superfund Task Force on May 22, 2017, to provide recommendations for improving and expediting site cleanups and promoting redevelopment.
Specifically, the Task Force looked at how EPA can:
- Restructure the cleanup process;
- Realign incentives of all involved parties to promote timely remediation;
- Reduce the burden on cooperating parties;
- Incentivize parties to remediate sites;
- Encourage private investment in cleanups; and
- Promote the revitalization of properties across the country while ensuring protection of human health and the environment.
On July 25, 2017, EPA’s Superfund Task Force released its recommendations, which are organized under five goals:
- Expediting cleanup and remediation;
- Reinvigorating responsible-party cleanup and reuse;
- Encouraging private investment;
- Promoting redevelopment and community revitalization; and
- Engaging partners and stakeholders.
EPA convened workgroups and actively engaged our partners and stakeholders to successfully implement the Task Force’s recommendations. The workgroups identified effective ways to implement the recommendations and reach outcome-driven results to expedite cleanups, site redevelopment, and community revitalization while protecting human health and the environment.
Final Report and Accomplishments
The Task Force released its final report in September 2019. The report covers the Task Force’s accomplishments and the Agency’s plans to build and expand on this important work moving forward.
- See the Superfund Task Force Final Report and Accomplishments
- See stories of progress at Superfund sites
Status Reports
EPA ensured that the work of the Task Force was transparent and accountable by providing quarterly updates that highlighted the accomplishments to date and the next steps for each recommendation. You can find these status reports below.
2018 Update Report
The 2018 Superfund Task Force Report highlighted the numerous accomplishments achieved by the hard-working EPA staff who planned and implemented specific actions to expedite reduction of risks to human health and the environment and to accelerate the reuse of properties affected by hazardous substance contamination.
Superfund Task Force Recommendations 2018 Update Report (PDF)(64 pp, 8.2 MB, About PDF)
Quarterly Updates
The Superfund Task Force Quarterly Reports provide a comprehensive list of accomplishments from each quarter starting from October 2017.
Please note that EPA reported accomplishments for the third quarter of FY 2018 and July 2018 in the 2018 Update Report (PDF)(64 pp, 8.2 MB), and covered August and September 2018 in the Fourth Quarter FY 2018 Report (PDF)(23 pp, 334 K).
- Task Force Quarterly Report: First Quarter FY 2019 (PDF)(24 pp, 423 K)
- Task Force Quarterly Report: Fourth Quarter FY 2018 (PDF)(23 pp, 334 K)
- Superfund Task Force Recommendations 2018 Update Report (issued in lieu of Third Quarter FY 2018 quarterly report) (PDF)(64 pp, 8.2 MB)
- Task Force Quarterly Report: Second Quarter FY 2018 (PDF)(33 pp, 1.7 MB)
- Task Force Quarterly Report: First Quarter FY 2018 (PDF)(37 pp, 617 K)
Task Force News
In addition to quarterly reports, the Task Force provided news updates as notable progress and achievements happened.
Public Participation Opportunities
The Task Force offered opportunities for the public to provide input on the Superfund process. To this end, the Task Force developed its Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement Strategy (PDF)(3 pp, 128 K). Under this strategy, EPA conducted dialogues via meetings, web discussions, and other fora. These conversations established and strengthened partnerships and public engagement during implementation of the Task Force recommendations.